Information

Be sure to check the information below President Monson's message.  Merry Christmas Sisters!

President Monson - Christmas Devotional

President Thomas S. Monson

Acknowledging that the Christmas season with its special meaning and beauty brings “rest to the weary soul,” President Thomas S. Monson in his First Presidency Christmas Devotional message Dec. 2 observed, “It is easy to get caught up in the pressure of the season and perhaps lose the very spirit in our lives that we’re trying to gain.”

“Overdoing it is especially common this time of year for many of us,” the Church president observed. “The causes for this might include too many Christmas activities to attend, too much to eat, too many expectations and too much tension. Often our efforts at Christmas time result in our feeling stressed out, wrung out and worn out during a time we should feel the simple joys of commemorating the birth of our Savior.”
The real joy of Christmas is found from making the Savior Jesus Christ the focus of the season, President Monson affirmed. “We can keep Him in our thoughts and in our lives as we go about the work He would have us perform here on earth.”
President Monson spoke of the elderly as “a segment of our society desperately yearning for an expression of love.”
“The chill wind of dying hopes and vanished dreams whistles through the ranks of the elderly and those who approach the declining side of the summit of life,” he mused.
He declared that true love is a reflection of the Savior’s love. “In December of each year we call it the Christmas spirit. You can hear it. You can see it. You can feel it.”
President Monson recalled an experience he had as an 11-year-old boy attending Primary. One day, the Primary president, a gray-haired lady named Melissa, asked him to stay behind to converse with her.
“She placed her arm about my shoulder and began to cry,” he related. “Surprised, I asked her why she was crying.
“She replied, ‘I can’t seem to get the Trail Builder boys to be reverent during the opening exercises of Primary. Would you be willing to help me, Tommy?’
He promised that he would, and soon found that his promise ended any problem of reverence in Primary.
“She had gone to the source of the problem – me,” he said. “The solution was love.”
Years later, Melissa, who was in her 90s, was living in a Salt Lake City nursing home.
“Just before Christmas I determined to visit my beloved Primary president,” President Monson recounted. While driving to the destination, he heard on the car radio the song “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.” He thought of the wise men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Christ child.
“I brought only the gift of love and a desire to say thank you,” he said.
He found Melissa in the lunch room of the nursing home staring at her plate of food. As he spoke to her there was no response, only a blank stare. He took her fork in his hand and began to feed her, talking all the time about her service to boys and girls as a Primary worker.
Two other residents of the nursing home gazed in puzzlement at him, and one said, “Don’t talk to her. She doesn’t know anyone – even her own family. She hasn’t said a word in all the time she’s been here.”
As the lunch ended and he stood to leave, he held her hand and said, “God bless you, Melissa. Merry Christmas.”
“Without warning, she spoke the words, ‘I know you. You’re Tommy Monson, my Primary boy. How I love you.’ She pressed my hand to her lips and bestowed on it a sweet kiss filled with love. Tears coursed down her cheeks and bathed our clasped hands. Those hands, that day, were hallowed by heaven and graced by God. The herald angels did sing.”
President Monson urged, “There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus Christ. It is the time to love the Lord, our God, with all our heart – and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much; he who gives time gives more; but he who gives of himself gives all.”
Christmas “isn’t just tinsel and ribbon, unless we have made it so in our lives,” President Monson remarked. “Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values. It is peace because we have found peace in the Savior’s teachings. It is the time we realize most deeply that the more love is expended, the more there is of it for others.”
President Monson concluded with this wish: “May we, as did the Wise Men, seek a bright, particular star to guide us to our Christmas opportunity in service to our fellow man. May we all make the journey to Bethlehem in spirit, taking with us a tender, caring heart as our gift to the Savior, and may one and all have a joy-filled Christmas.”

Updates

Thanks to everyone who helped with and came to our Ward Christmas Party.  It was a great success and fun was had by all who came.

Sister Ann Durbin is looking to borrow a car seat for a 1 year old and a booster seat for a 3 year old grandchild.  Her grandchildren will be arriving the day after Christmas from Japan and she would need to borrow them for about 10 days.  If anyone has an extra they are not using please call Ann at 357-5568.  Thanks.

Happy Birthday!

December 19th - Gloria Russell
December 25th - Christa Ball
December 26th - Ethel Peterson
December 30th - Dorothy Barker
December 30th - Melinda Lent

Lesson Recap

The Lesson this week was Chapter 23 "Of You It is Required to Forgive"  Heather showed a video titled "forgiveness: my burden was made light".  You can also google Chris Williams Mormon Message - forgiveness.  It is 8.25 minutes long and is worth watching.

We have been taught to love our enemies, and to pray for those who despitefully use us and speak evil of us...When you are reviled, do not revile again.  When others speak evil of you, pity them, and pray for them.  Remember the example of the Divine Master, who, when suspended upon the cruel tree, said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Ward Christmas Party

Don't forget the Ward Christmas Party is Saturday, December 15th at 6:00 p.m.  Bring a pot luck soup or dessert to share.  There will be a special surprise guest.

Updates

Thanks to everyone who came to our Christmas Dinner and a special thanks to all who helped make it a success!

If anyone wants to send these sisters a Christmas note here are their addresses.

Beth Allred
850 Lincoln Drive #102
Idaho Falls, ID  83401 

Naomi Baker
Parkwood Meadow #225
1885 Parkwood Street
Idaho Falls, ID  83401

Kathryn Aldridge
6267 S. 55th W.
Idaho Falls, ID  83402   

Ruth Stewart will be moving December 26th to Lincoln Court Room 177.  We will miss her.

Merry Christmas Relief Society sisters.  We hope you enjoy your spiral bound manual! (Courtesy of Brother Smith)  If you haven't received yours, check with the Presidency or your Visiting Teachers.

There are some needs for christmas in our ward if you would like to help, please give any donations to the Bishop.  He will make sure they reach those who need them.

Happy Birthday!

Rehle Higham - December 10th
Mariann Davidson - December 10th
Mistri Russell - December 15th
Lori Moad - December 16th

Humanitarian

Dear Sisters, This came from Pres. Searle. Please make it available to your sisters.

Stake Presidents:   The following announcement from the Humanitarian
Center has been distributed to the ward bulletin editors in the area.


Do you have time to volunteer some time this Christmas season?  Here
is a list of places that could use your help:

TOYS FOR TOTS:  Volunteers needed to help distribute toys.  Dec. 21,
22, 23 from 10 - 5.  Call Dan Suciu - 346-7800
ST. VINCENT DEPAUL: Volunteers to help wrapping gifts - Tues. Dec
11th, 6 pm, Thurs. Dec 13th, 6 pm.       Help sorting gifts - Friday,
Dec. 14 at 1:00     Help distributing gifts - Sat., Dec. 15th.  If you
can help, call Betty Anderl at 522-1980 or Peggy Sharp at 523-2188
SALVATION ARMY:  Volunteers to man kettles.  Volunteers needed to help
distribute gifts, December 18, 19.  Call Salvation Army - 522-7200

Any questions regarding the new Humanitarian Center, call Mozelle
Neville at 529-2357 or Jim or Colleen Williams - 528-8844

Needs

We have need in the ward for a twin bed.  If anyone has a bed that they do not need any more, please contact a member of the Relief Society Presidency.

Updates

We missed a couple of birthdays on our handout we passed out in Relief Society.  

Rehle Higham - December 10th
Christa Ball - December 25th
Melinda Lent - December 30th

Presidency Message

The holidays with all the fun, excitement, love as well as discouragement and frustrations are upon us.  The holidays should also be a special time to remember the Savior, his birth, life, service and atoning sacrifice.

Sister Julie B. Beck (Daughters in My Kingdom, page 105) has taught:  "Because we follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, we value this sacred assignment to love, know, serve, understand, teach and minister in His behalf."

Christmas time is a time when we especially desire to share our love through the tradition of gift giving.  May we share the following by Elder John A. Widstoe of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles (1873-1952) as a suggestion for your gift giving:  "Christmas gifts should be in memory of the divining gift, the life of Jesus Christ.  His gift gave us eternal life; our gifts should enliven with joy those who receive.  His gift was the sacrifice of his earthly life; our gift should represent personal sacrifice on our part.  Would it not be well this Christmas to give first to the Lord, directly through obedience, sacrifice and love and then give to Him indirectly through gifts to friends and those in need as well as to our own?  Should we do this perhaps many of us would discover a Christmas Joy."     
Sister Bolander

Visiting Teaching

"We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives.  We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us.  We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something.  We have to learn to be content with what we are."   Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Provident Living

It is a great time of the year to give the gift of food storage to the ones we love.  So much needed and so appreciated.

Humanitarian

As we get closer to the Christmas Season, we are getting many requests from different Charity agencies in our area.  Would you like to help?  We are in need of, any size deodorant, size 3-6 month plain onesies, and crocheted winter headbands.  Bring them to the South Stake building at 21st and Higbee on Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call Jim and Coleen Williams at 528-8844.  Thank you for your support!

Dates to Remember

Dec. 4th - Shelley Stake Christmas Concert at 7:00 p.m. at the Stake Center

Dec. 7th - Ward Adult Christmas Dinner at 7:00 p.m.  sponsored by the Relief Society - church dress.  Please come join us for a wonderful evening and special Christmas program.

Dec. 15th - Ward Family Christmas Party at 6:00 p.m.

Dec. 7th - Jan. 2nd - "Olde Fashioned Christmas and Winter Festivals" exhibit will be held at the Museum of Idaho.

Jan. 6th - Our block meetings change to 11:00 a.m. 

Happy Birthday!

Pam Dooley - December 5th
Leatha Neilson - December 6th